Philippine shares plunged to their lowest in nearly seven months on Monday due to expectations that the American central bank may likely scale back monetary policy easing this year. The benchmark Philippine Stock Exchange Index (PSEi) tumbled by 2.36 percent, or 153.22 points, to close at 6,343.10.
The government may cut the maximum SRP for imported rice if the "sharp decline" in global prices would continue, an agriculture official said on Monday. Department of Agriculture (DA) Assistant Secretary Arnel de Mesa said that the global market had seen a drop in rice prices in the first 10 trading days of 2025.
Local enterprises lack artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure, hindering their deployment of advanced technology needed to improve operations, according to global tech company Cisco. Cisco PH managing director Zaza Soriano-Nicart said the "primary challenge remains infrastructure readiness, with gaps in compute, data center network performance and cybersecurity, amongst other areas."
Baguio-born pizza restaurant Amare La Cucina is expanding its presence in the province, with a new branch set to open soon inside Camp John Hay. The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) on Monday said it had signed a 15-year commercial lease agreement with the pizzeria for a 1,500-sq m lot.
Asian economies like the Philippines might benefit from aligning their trade policies with either the United States or China amid President-elect Donald Trump's tariff threats, highlighting the difficulty in forming a united Asean (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) response to heightened trade protectionism.
By Ian Nicolas P. Cigaral
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